Domestic Notices : — England. 97 



[We received all the articles safe in the last week of September, and have 

 tasted the fish, the dried apricots, apples, and blackberries, and found them ex- 

 tremely good, particularly the fish and the apricots. We shall taste all the 

 rest, and report on them. In the meantime we return our much-esteemed 

 correspondent our sincere thanks. — Cond.] 



Art. III. Domestic Notices.. 

 ENGLAND. 



AsHWELL in Hertfordshire. — On visiting Ashwell, in the county of Herts, 

 some time since, I was struck with the peculiar rise of a spring, or springs, said 

 to be one of the principal sources of the river Cam, and which is situated on 

 the verge of the road as you enter the village from Royston. A kind of irre- 

 gular cove is formed, which, in the centre alongside of the road, may be about 

 14 ft. or 16 ft. deep, and nearly perpendicular, but shelving down on each side. 

 The accompanying sketch (Jig. 10.) is intended to give a representation of it. 

 When the springs are all up, as many as thirty-seven may be counted, all issuing 

 from nooks, as represented in the sketch ; and the waters, joining at a small dis- 

 tance, form a kind of small island, in the centre of which stands an ash tree, 

 and from which, it is said, the village of Ashwell (by the conjunction of ash and 

 well) derives its name : nevertheless, the village, no doubt, bore the name long 

 before the existence of the tree which is now growing there. 



At Woolmer's, near Hertford, there is a spring worthy of notice, situated in a 

 wilderness, to which a branch of the pleasure-ground leads. There is a sort of 

 romantic wildness about this spot, which renders it a pleasing and cool retreat 

 during the summer months ; and it is greatly admired by visiters. The spring is 

 situated at the base of a hill, well clothed with trees and foliage: its diameter may 

 be about 60 ft., and it is in appearance like a pool, or pond ; it throws up a large 

 volume of water, which forms a cascade, and, at about 100 yards' distance, joins 

 the river Lea, which skirts the wilderness on the south. It is said that this spring 

 is unfathomable ; but, whether so or not, it is certain that it is very deep ; and, 

 although such a quantity of water continually issues from it, it is always per- 

 fectly calm on the surface. There is a peculiarity in this spring with regard to 

 the colour of its water, which is of a bluish green ; but, when taken up and 

 poured into a glass, it is as clear as crystal. Whether this colour is produced by 

 the chalky sides of the pool, its great depth, the refraction of light, or any of 

 these combined, has not been determined. That it is not produced by the 

 foliage around is certain, as, during winter, it has the same appearance. Perhaps 

 some of your correspondents may be able to throw some light upon this phe- 

 nomenon. 



That water is a grand requisite in landscape scenery has been strongly ad- 

 vocated by all writers upon the subject; and, in short, it is generally considered 

 that no place of importance is perfect without it. That the prevailing taste is 

 in accordance with this opinion, is manifest from continual observation ; and 

 hence it is that the margins of rivers abound with gentlemen's seats and villas, 

 and that, where nature does not afford facilities for attaining the object desired, 

 artificial means are resorted to. The banks of the river Thames afford a strik- 

 ing proof of the strong propensity that prevails for having water for embellish- 

 ment, by the numerous seats and villas with which they are adorned ; and the 

 number of marine residences which are to be seen along our coasts go to cor- 

 roborate the truth of these observations, at least so far as that water has a 

 pleasing effect. In fact, there is that something in this element, which seems 

 to give the finishing stroke to all that is truly subhme in scenery ; and, while 

 it has frequently inspired the poet's song, it has not been less admired by the 

 lovers of nature. Hence, from the wide expanse of ocean, down to the rivulet. 



